Chelsea Handler

I’m in sunny Pasadena, embedded with the Television Critics Association’s winter press tour (although it doesn’t look like winter around here with temps in the 80s and nearly naked people hanging out by the pool).

PBS took center stage for the past two days, ending its session last night in classy style with a live performance by singer Tony Bennett (Mit Romney is probably demanding to know how much that cost). And today, the major networks begin their presentations, with beleaguered NBC leading off.

NBC executives, stars and producers will be here to pump up a collection of new shows that they hope will pull the network out of its ratings doldrums. Shows like “Smash,” “The Firm,” “Fashion Star,” “Awake” and “Are You There, Chelsea?” (the latter inspired by Chelsea Handler’s best-seller). Also, we’ll have a panel tied to “The Voice,” one of NBC’s few holdover successes. (Christina Aguilera, Cee Lo Green, Adam Levine and Blake Shelton are all scheduled to be here).

I feel sorry this morning for hoity-toity designers like Armani and Vera Wang. Little did they know that they’d be upstaged at the MTV Video Music Awards by Sam the Butcher.

Yes, you can believe your eyes. That was actually a meat dress worn by Lady Gaga last night, made up of various cuts of animal flesh. As she accepted her award for Video of the Year (“Bad Romance”), I kept wondering how much her outfit would cost if it was served up on a platter at Outback steakhouse.

It was one of three outrageously over-the-top costumes worn by Gaga last night — and certainly the most controversial. So what do you think? Did you love the meaty look? Or did you have a major beef with it?

And while we have you, what did you think of the VMAs as a whole? Did the awards go to the right people? Are you happy that Taylor Swift and Kanye West have made up? Did you think Chelsea Handler did a bang-up job as host?